Reading improves memory and concentration as well as reduces stress. Today is National Read a Book Day, an excellent opportunity to share my love of books. Real books with soft or hard covers and paper pages. I live surrounded by those and know many of you do, too.
My post today is about visiting bookstores and libraries when traveling. These places have a quiet, elevated mood. They are an oasis in the chaos of traffic, maps, sightseeing stress, and achy feet.
Scents of freshly brewed coffee and soft steam clouds rising from dainty teacups are a constant presence in most bookstores. Libraries are hidden treasures we discover in our RV travels. Books sold at public libraries at bargain prices have opened our eyes to the landscapes and the people from specific regions we visit. They are better than visitor guides!
In this post, I would like to share about the Bertrand Bookstore in Lisbon, Portugal. I’d go back there just to revisit it and experience the old-world cultural atmosphere.
Bertrand is a popular stop for visitors to Lisbon’s Chiado district, a hip, casual, and artsy district on top of one of seven hills in the city. It is the oldest operating bookstore in the world! The Chiado Bertrand Bookstore, located on Rua Garrett, was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2011. There are several Bertrand bookstores in town, but if you want to visit the oldest, you must visit this one.
Two French brothers founded the shop in 1732, and it is housed in an old vaulted-ceiling building full of the typical bookstore charm I dreamt about seeing as a child.
Most of the books are in Portuguese, but many books are translated into English, including poetry books by Fernando Pessoa, the lauded national Portuguese poet. Pessoa wrote poetry in English, and all his books can be found here.
There is a unique feature that makes this visit even more special. Once you purchase your books, the attendant will ask you if you would like to have them stamped with a certification stating your book was purchased at the oldest operating bookstore in the world. Who can resist that?
I would also like to mention “Livraria Sá Da Costa,” another quaint bookstore just a block from Bertrand Bookstore. It has also served Lisbon for many decades and has the same old-world feel.
Once you have your books, I highly recommend going to “A Brasileira do Chiado,” a superb Portuguese experience akin to Paris’ “La Palette,” bohemian hangouts for artists and writers at the turn of the 20th century and today. The Brasileira is just a few feet from the two bookstores.
Every visitor to the area takes a photo with a bronze sculpture of poet Fernando Pessoa outside of “A Brasileira do Chiado,” I was not the exception.
If you have plans to travel to Lisbon, great! I hope you visit this original bookstore. If you plan a visit to Porto, you can step into one of the most beautiful bookstores in Europe. “Livraria Lello” will mesmerize you with its curved staircase, stained glass, and exquisite wood paneling. It is the only bookstore I’ve visited where I had to wait in line to experience what is said to be the place where J.K. Rowling found the inspiration for Harry Potter and where she wrote some of these popular books.
If a vacation closer to home is your plan, I encourage you to visit public libraries and bookstores wherever you go and search for memorable treasures and books. Below is a list of some of our favorites.
Public Libraries
1-San Antonio’s Central Library was designed by Mexican Architect Ricardo Legorreta.
2-Austin Central Library, designed by Lake Flato Architects, boasts spaces for art exhibits and a rooftop garden, among many other cool features.
3-Marble Falls Public Library is on Main Street and full of small-town charm.
4-Bandera Kronkosky Public Library has a quaint Western, cowboy culture atmosphere on the main drag with a varied cultural and educational program.
5- Mason County M. Beven Eckert Memorial Library is a jewel in this hill country town, a charming cottage-like building up the road from the main square.
6-Beaumont’s Tyrrel Historical Library is housed in the First Baptist Church and donated by Captain W. C. Tyrrel to become the city’s public library on 1923. Built in Gothic style in 1903, the library is the main genealogical library in East Texas.
7-Beaumont’s Downtown Library is a fantastic place with its mid-20th-century modern building.
8-Alpine Public Library is a West Texas charmer with a well-stocked bookstore with views of the rugged terrain we love.
When it comes to bookstores, there are so many to name, but some of my favorites are the Half-Price Bookstores in Corpus Christi and Sugarland.
Our all-time favorite bookstore is “Beastly Books” in Santa Fe, owned by author George R. R. Martin. All his books for sale here are autographed. They have a coffee shop and film memorabilia.
“Books to Share” in Downtown Kerrville and “The Novel Blend” in Downtown Kingsville are among the many we have found during our RV trips. Too many to list. Do you have a favorite bookstore or library? If so, please share, and happy reading, everybody!
Cactus in the Mirror 